TOWN take their biggest Carling Cup following in eight years to Elland Road on Tuesday with manager Peter Jackson promising: "We won't lay down and die."

TOWN take their biggest Carling Cup following in eight years to Elland Road on Tuesday with manager Peter Jackson promising: "We won't lay down and die."

The first-round tie against Leeds is the first competitive meeting between the clubs since December 1987 and 5,100 Town fans have signed up for the trip.

New signings Chris Brandon, Junior Mendes and the rest of the squad are aiming to emulate Town's Cup exploits of last season when Derby County and Sunderland were slain en route to a narrow third-round defeat at Reading.

Jackson - short-listed for the Leeds managerial post last season - is well aware how much the tie means to fans and players alike.

"It's a big occasion for everyone to enjoy and we don't want to disappoint," said Jackson, a Town teammate of Elland Road chief Kevin Blackwell a decade ago.

"Everyone has been looking forward to the derby matches this season and to get another in the best tie of the round is fantastic - but we just want to win it.

"We are not going there to lay down and die. Like any other Cup-tie we are going to give it 100% to win.

"All of us know how much that would mean to the fans, but it is also a chance for our club to progress in a valuable Cup competition and to claim another higher-division scalp.

"Last season we showed what we are capable of.

"Derby were beaten against the odds at our place and then we went up to Sunderland, when no-one gave us a chance, and of course we came away with a fantastic 4-2 victory.

"I also thought we were very unfortunate to lose to a late goal at Reading, but we know we can perform on the big occasion and Leeds is another chance to prove it.

Mendes was in the Mansfield side beaten 2-1 by Sunderland at this stage of the competition last season while Brandon was in the Chesterfield side which went out 3-2 on penalties to Burnley.

Brandon said: "As a Yorkshire lad, all the derby games are exciting and Leeds is obviously a big one.

"I'm sure we can do well and there will be a big crowd, which is great."

Sheffield United beat Preston 1-0 last night in the Championship.

FOLLOWING their opening 4-1 victory against York City in the Pontin's Holidays League Division I East, Town Reserves are not in action again for a couple of weeks until Wednesday, September 1, when they visit Doncaster Rovers for a 2pm kick-off.